The present invention relates to motorized drives for timing control devices and in particular relates to timer/controllers employing small subfractional horse power timing motors. Small synchronous timing motors are typically used with a speed reducer for driving timer/controllers or programmer timers as they are sometimes referred to, employed for service cycle control of domestic appliances such as clothes dryers, washing machines and microwave cooking ovens.
In the design of appliances of the aforesaid type employing a timing motor and speed reducer, the motor and speed reducer subassembly drivingly engages a series of cam wheels for sequentially actuating and deactuating electrical switches for controlling various appliance electrical functions.
In known programmer timers for appliances, heretofore it has been the practice to provide a suitable common housing or casing for the cam actuating mechanism and switches and to attach the separate motor and speed reducer thereto with suitable fastening techniques. Typically, the speed reducer mechanism is assembled onto the switch housing and the motor is then fastened thereto. In such known programmer timers, the switches and cam mechanism are usually assembled onto the opposite side of the housing and suitable electrical terminals for the switches provided for connecting the motor leads and switches thereto. This type of programmer timer assembling arrangement has required numerous positioning and assembly operations which have proven to be costly in high volume manufacturing.
It has, therefore, long been desired to provide a technique for assembling a motor and speed reducer to a cam actuated switch programmer in a manner which permits rapid and inexpensive modular assembly during manufacturing.